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Before watching
The
Big Year
I never thought I’d
find a movie about
bird watching
engaging. After
watching
The
Big Year
my initial thoughts
have been confirmed.
While not without a
good amount of
charm, a movie about
bird watching
manages to drag on
too long and only
has a small amount
of laughs.
The
Big Year
follows three
different guys Kenny
Bostick (Owen
Wilson) is the
world’s most famous
‘birder.’ He’s
obsessed with it to
a degree that it’s
unhealthy and he’s
broken records doing
what he loves but
separated himself
from other things in
the process. Brad
Harris (Jack Black)
is an IT at a
nuclear plant and
he’s overworked at
it. Because of his
hours and his
obsession with birds
he has no life and
bird watching is his
only passion. Stu
Priessler (Steve
Martin) is a
successful executive
who’s looking to
retire and spend
time doing what he
loves the most;
spending time with
his family and bird
watching. The three
different guys set
out on a gigantic
journey to go after
a big year… the
contest for bird
watches that sees
who can count the
most species with
and without
photographic proof.
The three different
explorers set out on
a journey to
accomplish something
great but really
they end up learning
more about
themselves as people
in the process.
The
Big Year
stars Jack Black,
Steve Martin, and
Owen Wilson. You’d
think a movie with
those three guys in
it would stand up a
little bit more than
this. It’s not just
Black, Martin, and
Wilson though. On
top of those three
actors is a list of
role actors that’s
almost unfathomable
contributing to the
movie. That includes
Joel McHale, Kevin
Pollack, Brian
Dennehy, Rashida
Jones, and Angelica
Huston. Those are
just a few of the
obvious ones. There
are literally dozens
of amazing actors in
this movie. And you
can say that the
movie was
tremendously acted
throughout. You can
also say that
director David
Frankel made a
gorgeous film. He
made a film with a
ton of nature scenes
and he did that
wonderfully. He also
took CGI and green
screen and used it
when he had to and
everything is more
than cohesive. The
movie is well acted,
and well-made, but
to a degree it’s not
written amazingly.
It’s a cool idea,
but the jokes are
few and far between.
Basically it’s got a
ton of comedic
actors, including
three big ones in
the lead roles, but
it’s not a comedy.
As far as bonus
features go, there’s
not a ton of content
on this release.
There’s a longer
than usual making-of
feature and then
there’s a gag reel
that has a few funny
moments. That would
be about it.
The
Big Year
isn’t a terrible
movie it’s just not
something I can see
myself watching more
than once.
Everything across
the board is well
done but it’s billed
a bit odd for what
it is. It’s got a
ton of comedic
actors in big roles
but little to no
actual comedy. It’s
kind of like a
Canadian-made movie
with American actors
that was produced by
BBC- its all kinds
of quirky.
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